The ground used as energy source, energy sink, or for energy storage

E.R.G. Eckert

Energy, 1976, vol. 1, issue 3, 315-323

Abstract: The energy required to maintain a structure (building, cavity) at constant temperature can be reduced drastically by burying it in the ground or locating it below the ground surface. An exploration of the potential of this idea is performed using simple relations for unsteady heat conduction. It is found that, for example, the U factor describing heat conduction into the ground is less than 10% of the U factor of a well insulated above-ground building. The ground serves also as a heat storage medium for a yearly storage in an under-ground building when temperature fluctuations of a few degrees are accepted in the building and when the heat flux into the ground is the dominating heat loss. For a subsurface building, daily and possibly weekly energy storage can be achieved under the same conditions.

Date: 1976
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:1:y:1976:i:3:p:315-323

DOI: 10.1016/0360-5442(76)90006-2

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